Safety chock for railroad rolling stock



Dec.-15, 1942- J. E. LIVENGOOD SAFETY CHOCK FOR RAILROAD ROLLING STOCKFiled March 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 15, 1942. .1. E. LIVENGOODSAFETY CHUCK FOR RAILROAD ROLLING STOCK Filed March 11, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 2 3] WMo n [ye/good Mom/M1115 CZ L Patented Dec. 15, 1942SAFETY CHOCK FOR RAILROAD ROLLING STOCK Jay Everett Livengood, Mona, W.Va.

Application March 11, 1942, Serial No. 434,294

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety check for railroad rolling stock toeliminate accidents caused by runaway rolling stock left unattended ontracks, and is especially adapted for use'on track sidings or on tracksin mines andsimilar places.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a device of theabove stated character which'may be easilyand quickly installed anyplace desired on a track as either a temporary or permanent fixture andmay be readily operated to assume operative r inoperative positions andwhen operative it will efficiently chock a car or other rolling stockfrom moving by gravity and when inoperative will be entirely clear ofthe rolling stock or the movement thereof over the track.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will bedescribed and claimed. Y I

For a complete understanding of myinvention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a top plan View illustrating the application of a safety chock to arail of a railroad trackand constructed in accordance with my invention.

V Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the device appliedto a rail and in an inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l with a cover element removed andshowing the device in an operative position.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3 showing the device in anoperative position.

Figure?) is a transverse sectional view showing hereinafter more fullythe device in an operative position with a wheel of rolling stock inengagement therewith.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figurei.

Figure '7 is an end elevation illustrating the operating hand lever ofthe device.

It'is preferable that the present invention be adapted to the outsiderail of a track and any place along the track where it may be desired tosecure a car or similar device against accidental movement. The drawingsin Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, clearly illustrate the application of theinvention, the outside rail of the track being indicated by thecharacter 5.

An elongated horizontally arranged base 6 is provided and the width of aportion thereof is such that the base may be fitted between a pair ofsupporting ties for the rail 5 and underlie the serrated faces 8 toobtain a firm grip on the rail.

The base is provided with a chamber 9 extending substantially the fulllength thereof and from Figure 4 it will be seen that the chamberextends under the base of the'rail.

Spaced guide member Ill are formed on the base '6 to engage with theopposite sides of the rail 5 from the clamps I. The guide members H] areundercut, as shown at H, to permit the base of the rail to extendthereunder. The guide members Ill are provided withinclined or cam faces12.

A chock member J3 is slidable in the chamber 9 and has integraltherewith a chock head l4 provided with a shouldered portion I5 andguide engaging portions 6 adapted to ride upon the faces l2 of the guidemembers Ill in order that the latter may bring the chock head in aposition of overlying the tread portion of the rail on the movement ofthe chock member I 3 into an operative position. The ball of the railfits snugly within the shouldered portion l5 of the chock head.

. The chock member I3 is provided with a bifurcation I'l defining atongue i8 adapted to move under the base of the ran on the chock headassuming an operative position with respect to the rail and coacts withthe portions l6 and the guide members it in preventing tilting of thechock head when engaged by a wheel of a car or similar device.

In Figures 1, 3 and 40f the official drawings the chock member and itshead M is disclosed in operative position with respect to the rail. InFigure 2 the chock member !3 is disclosed as being in an inoperativeposition with the chock head positioned a sufficient distance from therail so as not to interfere with the movement of car wheels thereover.

The chamber 9 opens outwardly through the top face of the base 6 and aportion thereof is closed by a removable cover I9. V

A pitman is pivotally connected to the chock member i3 and is slid'ablysupported in the chamber 9 by a member 2| carried by the base. A portionof the chamber 9 is enlarged to accommodate a pivotally mounted bellcrank lever 22. Pivoted to one end of the bell crank lever 22 is a link23 which is in turn pivotally connected to the pitman 2B. The other endof the. bell crank lever 22 has a pin and slot connection 24 with a link25. The link 25 is journaled on a crank 26 of an operating shaft 21journaled in a bearing 28 mounted on one end of the base 6. An operatinglever 29 provided with a hand grip 39 is jo-urnaled on the shaft 2'! andis retained thereon by a pin 3| operable between spaced lugs orshoulders 32 formed on the lever 29. The lugs 32 and pin 3| will permitthe lever to have a limited movement or rotation on the shaft 21 beforethe latter will be rotated by said lever 29, the purpose of which is topermit the lever 29 to assume a horizontal position when the chockmember i3 is either in operative or inoperative position.

With the lever 29 in either of its horizontal positions it will be lessapt to be contacted by rolling stock passing along the rail.

A coil spring 3 surrounds the pitman 2i! and is interposed between thelink 23 and the bearing 2|. The purpose of the spring 33 is to urge thechock member i3 into an inoperative position and to sustain said chockmember l3 in an operative position some suitable fastening means (notshown) may be provided on the base 6 to secure the lever 29 in itshorizontal position.

Whenever it is desired to chock a car on the track, the lever 29 isoperated, imparting to the chock member i3 sliding movement and as thechock member slides in the direction of the rail the chock head isguided upwardly and over the ball of the rail so as to come in the pathof a wheel of the car and when engaged with the wheel will prevent thecar from rolling from a set position. The lever 29 then may be fastenedin its horizontal position by the locking means (not shown). When it isdesired to free the car of the action of this device, the operatinglever 29 is swung in an opposite direction to assume a horizontalposition permitting the spring 33 to slide the chock member 43 is areverse direction which positions the head l4 clear of the rail.

This device may remain attached to the rail for an indefinite period oftime or it may be used in a portable way, that is applied and removed tothe rail of a track whenever it is desired to chock a car.

While Ihave shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a safety chock, an elongated base to eX- tend under a rail of atrack, guide members formed on said base to engage one side of the railand having inclined faces, clamps on said base coacting with said guidesin releasably securing the base to the rail, a chock member slidable onthe base and movable over the inclined faces of the guides to assumeoperative and inoperative positions with respect to the rail, means onsaid chock member to engage under the rail and coact with the guidemembers in preventing movement of the chock member when in operativeposition with respect to a;

the rail and under the influence of a car wheel, and an operating meansconnected to the chock member.

2. In a safety chock, an elongated base to extend under a rail of atrack, guide members formed on said base to engage one side of the railand having inclined faces, clamps on said base coacting with said guidesin releasably securing the base tothe rail. a chock member slidable onthe base and movable over the inclined faces of the guides to assumeoperative and inoperative positions with respect to the rail, means onsaid chock member to engage under the rail and coact with the guidemembers in preventing movement of the chock member when in operativeposition with respect to the rail and under the influence of a carwheel, a pitman slidable on the base and pivotally connected to thechock member, a bell crank lever pivoted on the base and pivotallyconnected to the pitman, a spring acting on the bell crank lever tonormally position the chock member in an inoperative position withrespect to the rail, and an operating means connected to the bell cranklever.

3. In a'safety chock, an elongated base to extend under a rail of atrack, guide members formed on said base to engage one side of the railand having inclined faces, clamps on said base coacting with said guidesin releasably securing the base to the rail, a chock member slidable onthe base and movable over the inclined faces of the guides to assumeoperative and inoperative positions with respect to the rail, means onsaid chock member to engage under the rail and coact with the guidemembers in preventing movement of the chock member when in operativeposition with respect to the rail and under the influence of a carwheel, a pitman slidable on the base and pivotally connected to thechock member, a bell crank lever pivoted on the base and pivotallyconnected to the pitman, a spring acting on the bell crank lever tonormally position the chock member in an inoperative position withrespect to the rail, a crank shaft journaled on the base, a linkconnecting the crank of the crank shaft to the bell crank lever, anoperating lever journaled on the shaft, spaced lugs on the lever, a pinconnected to the shaft and operating between the lugs and coactingtherewith in establishing a drive between the lever and the shaft andadapted to permit the lever to assume a horizontal position when thechock member is in either operative or inoperative position.

4. In a safety chock, an elongated base to extend under a rail of atrack, guide members formed on said base to engage one side of the railand having inclined faces, clamps on said base coacting with said guidesin releasably securing the base to the rail, a chock member slidable onthe base and movable over the inclined faces of the guides to assumeoperative and inoperative positions with respect to the rail, means onsaid chock member to engage under the rail and coact with the guidemembers in preventing movement of the chock member when in operativeposition with respect to the rail and under the'influence of a carwheel, a pitman slidable on the base and pivotally connected to thechock member, a bell crank lever pivoted on the base and pivotallyconnected to the pitman, a spring acting on the bell crank lever tonormally position the chock member in an inoperative position withrespect to the rail, a crank shaft journaled on the base, a linkconnecting the crank of the crank shaft to the bell crank lever, anoperating lever journaled on the shaft, spaced lugs on the lever, a pinconnected to the shaft and operating between the lugs and coactingtherewith in establishing a drive between the lever and the shaft andadapted to permit the lever to assume a horizontal position when thechock member is in either operative or inoperative position, said chockmember including a head portion cut away to define angularly relatedshoulders to engage with the rail.

JAY EVERETT LIVENGOOD.

